I’ve always wanted to travel to the Maritimes in Eastern
Canada; however, when choosing vacation destinations, warmer climes, like the South of
France, usually win out; this summer, though, my Maritime travel dreams were
fulfilled.  After attending a family
wedding near Ottawa, I made my way east to Prince Edward Island (PEI is Canada’s
smallest province, birth place of Confederation and home of the iconic Anne of
Green Gables) then travelled to Halifax, Nova Scotia and wound along the shoreline south of there.
The coastline scenery was a feast for the eyes and reason enough to plan
further holidaying here; other delights like the seafood which was absolutely
mouthwateringly delicious (think fresh lobster, scallops and oysters), and the
houses with their unique architecture and detailing (some of them dating back
to the 1800’s), made the trip even more fulfilling.

Peggy’s Cove:

While strolling down the
streets of Lunenburg (btw, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site) I popped into
their local pet store where I had the pleasure of chatting with Shelly), co-owner
of Ralphs Cat & Dog Health Food Store. She said that Lunenburg is known as Doggie Town- people there
LOVE their dogs – and was excited to tell me about their upcoming expansion
into a larger building just down the street.

Leaving Lunenburg and winding our way back to Halifax, we
stopped in Mahone Bay, another charming seaside town and also home to the Dog Shop
where I had the pleasure of meeting, Sara, the owner, as well as this handsome Basset
Hound customer who had just arrived for a grooming session in their in-house
spa.

As we continued our trip back up the coast to Halifax we passed numerous signs advertising antiques. Being on a time constraint we managed to overcome the urge to stop and shop, that is until we passed through the quaint town of Chester where this sign worked its magic, drawing us into a barn FILLED with amazing antiques! Interestingly, the store owner also boards dogs, hence this sign of warning to drivers (btw, boarding rates are reasonable and the dogs get to hang out in the house with the family) 

If you’re looking for dog-friendly accommodation in Halifax, the Westin Nova Scotian (a Starwood property), is a lovely place to stay. It’s within walking distance to great restaurants and waterfront landmarks. You’ll get pampered with a dreamy sleep in their trademark Heavenly Bed and Fritzi gets pampered, too, with his own dog-styled version of the Heavenly Bed. No extra fees are charged when you check in with your dog; however, you will be required to sign a waiver that you’ll cover any damages he may cause.